Mayo Fire Service

Fire Safety Certificates

Information on Fire Safety Certificates

• What is a Fire Safety Certificate?

  A Fire Safety Certificate is a certificate issued by the Building Control Authority which states that the works or building to which the application relates will, if constructed in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted, comply with the requirements of Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations 1997 (revised 2018).

• Which developments require a Fire Safety Certificate?

  The following developments (other than those listed as exempt below) require a Fire Safety Certificate:

  • Works in connection with the design and construction of a new building.
  • Works in connection with the material alteration of: 
    • A day centre
    • A building containing a flat
    • A hotel, hostel or guest building 
    • An institutional building 
    • A place of assembly 
    • A shopping centre
       
  • Works in connection with the material alteration of a shop, office or industrial building where additional floor area is being provided within the existing building or where the building is being sub divided into a number of units for separate occupancy; 
  • Works in connection with the extension of a building by more than 25 square metres;
  • A building as regards which a material change of use takes place.

  The following buildings are exempted from the requirement to obtain a Fire Safety Certificate:

  • Certain single storey agricultural buildings; 
  • A building used as a dwelling other than a flat;
  • A single storey domestic garage;
  • A single storey building ancillary to a dwelling which is used exclusively for recreational or storage purposes or the keeping of plants, birds or animals for domestic purposes and is not used for any trade or business or for human habitation;
  • Works by a Building Control Authority in its functional area;
  • Works in connection with a Garda station, a courthouse, a barracks and certain government buildings.
• Types of Fire Safety Certificate Applications
  • Standard Fire Safety Certificate: all new buildings, existing buildings carrying out a material change of use, material alteration, extension or subdivision into multiple tenancies.
  • Revised Fire Safety Certificate: for works that have already been granted a Fire Safety Certificate but where significant revisions need to be made for other reasons than Fire Safety, e.g. conditions attached to a Planning Permission, changes in design.
  • 7 Day Notice: is submitted where works are proposed to begin prior to the grant of the relevant Fire Safety Certificate. 7 Day Notices should be submitted not less than 7 days prior to the commencement of works and must be accompanied by a valid Fire Safety Certificate Application and a Statutory Declaration that the works will comply fully with the application made and any conditions attached are adhered to within 4months of the application being granted.
  • Regularization Certificate: for works or a change of use that have already stated or been carried out. The application must be accompanied by a valid Fire Safety Certificate Application and a Statutory Declaration that the works will comply fully with the application made and any conditions attached are adhered to within 4months of the application being granted.
• What is the fee?

  The varying fees for each application type noted above are detailed below:

   

  	Fire Safety Certificate/ Revised Fire Safety Certificate	7 Day Notice	Regularization
  Work in connection with the construction/ extension of a building	€125 or €2.90/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater	€250 or €5.80/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater	€500 or €11.60/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater
  Work in connection with: - The material alteration of the interior of a building - The material alteration of the external surfaces of a building - a combination of the above	€125 or €2.90/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater €125     €125 or €2.90/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater	€250 or €5.80/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater €250     €250 or €5.80/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater	€500 or €11.60/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater €500     €500 or €11.60/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater
  A building in which a material change of use takes place	€125 or €2.90/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater	€250 or €5.80/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater	€500 or €11.60/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater
  Works or building where the building will be used as an agricultural building	€65 or 80c/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater Gross floor area being provided or relevant floor area, whichever is greater	€130 or €1.60/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater Gross floor area being provided or relevant floor area, whichever is greater	€260 or €3.20/m² of floor area being provided, whichever is greater Gross floor area being provided or relevant floor area, whichever is greater

• What must be submitted?

  A Fire Safety Certificate Application should contain: 

  • A completed Application Form 
  • Relevant drawings (in duplicate) 
  • A fire safety report (in duplicate)
  • The appropriate fee

  Article 13 of the Building Control Regulations 1997 requests that an application for a Fire Safety Certificate be accompanied by the following: ­

  • Site Location Map
  • Layout Plan
  • Floor Plans
  • Elevations and Sections
  • Compliance Document (showing compliance with Technical Guidance Document B – Sections B1-B5 or other equivalent Code of Practice)
  • Application Form
  • Appropriate Fee

  And other particulars that are necessary to:

  • identify and describe the building/works to which the application relates.
  • Illustrate that the building/works will comply with the requirements of Part B (Sections 1-5) of the First Schedule to the Building Regulations or other equivalent Code of Practice.

  The extent to which plans, and compliance document will be required to establish compliance with Building Regulations will vary in individual cases depending on the type, size and complexity of the building concerned, but the information in the following paragraphs can be used as a guideline. Where relevant, all the plans and information listed below should be supplied.

  Maps and Plans

  These should be submitted in duplicate and should, where appropriate, include the following:

  1. Site Location Map:
     • Clearly define location to a scale of either one to one thousand (1:1000), one to two thousand five hundred (1:2500) or 1” inch to ½” is also acceptable.
  2. Layout Plan: to a scale of not less than one to five hundred (1:500) should show:
     • the boundaries of any land belonging to the building/works
     • all roadways including widths within the boundaries
     • locations of gateways or other restrictions to width of vehicular access at or within the boundaries
     • locations of bridges, arches, cables or other overhead restrictions to height of vehicular access
     • all access points to the building
     • location and diameter of any watermain or hydrant adjacent to or within the boundaries
     • all materials being stored
     • location and type of isolation devices for building services, including ESB installations.
     • location and diameter of internal rising fire watermains and foam inlet pipes, if applicable
     • location and type of control devices for active fire control systems, if applicable
     • distances of buildings to boundaries
  3. A dimensioned plan of each floor, a section through each storey/floor and roof of the building, together with drawings of each elevation should show all to an appropriate scale with all dimensions expressed in metric figures:
     • all materials used in construction
     • periods of fire resistance of elements of structure and fire resisting doors
     • intended use and floor area of each room /space
     • fire compartmentation
     • protected stairways/protected shafts
     • barriers to passage of fire and smoke in cavities
     • principal service ducts
     • areas of high fire risk
     • location and type of manual firefighting equipment
     • firefighting shafts
     • smoke ventilation provisions
     • internal fire main outlets
  4. The north point should be indicated on all plans to which paragraphs (a) and (b) apply.

  Compliance Document

  Calculations and details should be submitted in respect of the following:

  • Section B1
  • Section B2
  • Section B3
  • Section B4
  • Section B5

  Reference should be made as to the Technical Standards/Documents used in compliance.

• Who can prepare a Fire Safety Certificate application?

  Usually a Fire Safety Certificate application is made by a Fire Safety Consultant, Architect or Engineer who is familiar with the Building Regulations and the procedure for applying for a Fire Safety Certificate. The content of the application needs to be comprehensive in nature. A person preparing a fire safety certificate should have a sound knowledge of building construction and fire safety design. If the application submitted is lacking in information or drawings, then the local authority will consider it invalid and will return it together with the fee.

• How does the Fire Safety Certificate process work?

  An application is submitted to the Building Control Authority/Mayo Fire Service. Valid applications are date stamped and an acknowledgement stating date of receipt is sent to the applicant. Where an application is incomplete and therefore not valid. Building Control Authority/Mayo Fire Service may request the applicant to submit the necessary documentation to enable the application to be validated. The application is examined technically for compliance with the 'Fire' part of the Building Regulations. Where it is considered that additional information or modifications are required to the application, the officer examining the application may request such additional information/modification from the applicant. A Fire Safety Certificate will be issued to the applicant as soon as possible after all required additional information has been submitted. The Building Control Authority/Mayo Fire Service must notify the applicant of the decision on the application within two months of the application date or within such extended period as may be agreed between the applicant and the Authority/Fire Service at any time.

  Generally, Fire Safety Certificate applications should be made in accordance with Technical Guidance Document B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations. The adoption of an approach different to the TGD B or the use of Fire Safety Engineering is permitted, provided that the approach meets the functional requirements of the Building Regulations. The Building Control Authority may require such evidence and additional information to ensure that the building/development does comply with the regulations.

  It is important to note that neither the Building Regulations or the TGD's promote the use of a particular product or method of construction.

  Anyone interested in finding out more can contact Mayo Fire Service via phone or email as noted below:

  Phone: (094) 9021211
  Email: fire@mayococo.ie
  Open: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm Monday to Friday